Forceps including a double biased handle latch

ABSTRACT

A surgical device comprising: a closure assembly including: (a) a movement unit configured to be connected to a movable member, the movement unit including: (i) one or more bars; (ii) one or more bar biasing members in communication with the movement unit and moving the one or more bars; (b) a latch unit configured to be connected to a ground member, the latch unit including: (i) one or more hook latches that selectively receive the one or more bars, and (ii) one or more latch biasing members in communication with the one or more hook latches to selectively move the one or more hook latches; wherein all or a portion of the latch unit is movable relative to the ground member and all or a portion of the movement unit is movable relative to the movable member, and the latch unit and the movement unit are movable relative to each other when the latch unit and the movement unit are in contact.

FIELD

The present teachings relate to forceps with a first jaw and a secondjaw that are movable relative to each other and a movement unit and alatch unit that when connected prevent movement of the first jaw to thesecond jaw, and specifically a movement unit and a latch unit that areseparately biasable relative to each other.

BACKGROUND

Generally, forceps may be utilized for laparoscopic surgery or opensurgery. The forceps may be used to control delicate movements inside apatient. These forceps may be used to grip an anatomical feature. Theforceps may include a gripping assembly or a cutting assembly. Theforceps may include electrical energy for use in the gripping assembly,the cutting assembly, or both. The forceps have a pair of opposedresilient jaws that are closed against each other or a cutting blade.The jaws of the forceps may be locked together so that the surgeon maylock the forceps on a feature of interest while the surgeon works on adifferent anatomical feature or uses a different instrument. Examples ofsome latches or forceps including locks may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,104,397; 5,425,743; 6,056,333; 6,247,733; 7,118,587; 7,802,856;8,945,175; and 9,851,741 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No.:2013/0066317; 2014/0276795; 2015/0331443; 2016/0051275 all of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes.During locking of the arms to each other the user may have to regrip oneor more times in order to lock the jaws together. Furthermore, duringreleasing the user may be required to manipulate the jaws one or moretimes in order for the lock to release the jaws.

It would be attractive for the forceps to include two or more springsthat bias two or more separate parts so that each of the parts arebiased relative to each other. What is needed is a latch unit that ispositively biased and a movement unit that is positively biased. What isneeded is a latch unit that is positively biased in a home position, alocked position, and an unlocked position. It would be attractive tohave movement unit that is positively biased in a home position, alocked position, and an unlocked position. What is needed is a closureassembly include a latch unit, a bar unit, or both that are pre-loadedagainst a stop so that the closure assembly can be reliably located,locked, unlocked, or a combination thereof.

SUMMARY

The disclosure meets one or more of the needs by providing: a surgicaldevice comprising: a closure assembly including: (a) a movement unitconfigured to be connected to a movable member, the movement unitincluding: (i) one or more bars; (ii) one or more bar biasing members incommunication with the movement unit and moving the one or more bars;(b) a latch unit configured to be connected to a ground member, thelatch unit including: (i) one or more hook latches that selectivelyreceive the one or more bars, and (ii) one or more latch biasing membersin communication with the one or more hook latches to selectively movethe one or more hook latches; wherein all or a portion of the latch unitis movable relative to the ground member and all or a portion of themovement unit is movable relative to the movable member, and the latchunit and the movement unit are movable relative to each other when thelatch unit and the movement unit are in contact.

The present teachings provide a surgical device comprising: a closureassembly including: (a) a movement unit including: (i) one or more bars;(ii) one or more bar biasing members in communication with the one ormore bars to selectively move the one or more bars; and (iii) one ormore bar stops that maintain the one or more bar biasing members with apre-load when the one or more bars are in a home position; (b) a latchunit including: (i) one or more hook latches that selectively receivethe one or more bars, (ii) one or more latch biasing members incommunication with the one or more hook latches to selectively move theone or more hook latches; and (iii) one or more latch stops thatmaintain the one or more latch biasing members with a pre-load when theone or more latch stops are in a home position; wherein the latch unitand the movement unit are movable relative to each other when the latchunit and the movement unit are in contact.

The teachings herein provide forceps to include two or more springs thatbias two or more separate parts so that each of the parts are biasedrelative to each other. The teachings herein provide a latch unit thatis positively biased and a movement unit that is positively biased. Theteachings herein provide a latch unit that is positively biased in ahome position, a locked position, and an unlocked position. Theteachings herein provide a movement unit that is positively biased in ahome position, a locked position, and an unlocked position. What isneeded is a closure assembly include a latch unit, a bar unit, or boththat are pre-loaded against a stop so that the closure assembly can bereliably located, locked, unlocked, or a combination thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrosurgical device having alatching assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electrosurgical device having alatching assembly;

FIG. 3 is a close-up view of a movement unit and a latch unit in alockable state;

FIG. 4 is a close-up view of a movement unit and a latch unit;

FIG. 5A illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit in the homeposition;

FIG. 5B illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit in a contactposition;

FIG. 5C illustrates the latch unit separated from a latch stop with abar being at an entry apex;

FIG. 5D illustrates the latch unit and the movement unit in a lockedposition with the bar being located in a pocket;

FIG. 5E illustrates the bar located at the exit apex leaving the pocket;

FIG. 5F illustrates the bar extending from the exit apex towards arelease apex extending along the return portion;

FIG. 5G illustrates the bar extending from the exit apex towards arelease apex;

FIG. 5H illustrates the bar located at the release apex with the barmovement unit moving away from the bar stop;

FIG. 5I illustrates both the movement unit and the latch unit in a homeposition once the movement unit separates from the latch unit;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the movement unit and the latch unit with themovement unit being rotatable about an axis;

FIG. 7A is a top view of a movement unit and a latch unit in a homeposition;

FIG. 7B illustrates a bar being deflected by the hook latch into contactwith a stop as the bar moves along a hook latch towards a locked state;

FIG. 7C illustrates a bar located between and in contact with a stop andan entry apex of a hook latch so that the hook latch is deflected awayfrom the stop;

FIG. 7D illustrates a locked state with the bar in a pocket of the hooklatch;

FIG. 7E illustrates the bar after the bar exited the pocket by extendingaround the exit apex towards the release apex;

FIG. 7F illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit in a homeposition;

FIG. 8A illustrates a movement unit and a latch unit, in a homeposition, with two opposing stops;

FIG. 8B illustrates the bar being deflected by the hook latch intocontact with a first stop as the bar moves along the hook latch towardsa locked state;

FIG. 8C illustrates the bar located between and in contact with a firststop and an entry apex of the hook latch so that the hook latch isdeflected away from the first stop;

FIG. 8D illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit in the lockedstate;

FIG. 8E illustrates the bar after the bar exited the pocket by extendingaround the exit apex towards the release apex with the bar in contactwith the second stop;

FIG. 8F illustrates the bar located between the second stop and the hooklatch so that both the movement unit and the latch unit are deflected;

FIG. 8G illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit in the homeposition;

FIG. 9A illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit, in a homeposition, with two stops located on a same side;

FIG. 9B illustrates the movement unit deflected into contact with afirst stop by contact with the hook latch;

FIG. 9C illustrates the bar located at the entry apex in contact withthe first stop and the hook latch so that the latch unit is deflected;

FIG. 9D illustrates the closure assembly in a locked state with the barbeing located in the pocket;

FIG. 9E illustrates the hook latch and the bar both undeflected with thebar moved out of the pocket and around the exit apex;

FIG. 9F illustrates the bar extending towards the release apex so thatthe hook latch is deflected into contact with a second stop and so thatthe bar is deflected by the hook latch;

FIG. 9G illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit in the homeposition;

FIG. 10 is a top view of a movement unit and a latch unit in a homeposition; and

FIG. 11 illustrates the movement unit and the latch unit, in a homeposition, with two stops located on a same side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The explanations and illustrations presented herein are intended toacquaint others skilled in the art with the teachings, its principles,and its practical application. Those skilled in the art may adapt andapply the teachings in its numerous forms, as may be best suited to therequirements of a particular use. Accordingly, the specific embodimentsof the present teachings as set forth are not intended as beingexhaustive or limiting of the teachings. The scope of the teachingsshould, therefore, be determined not with reference to the abovedescription, but should instead be determined with reference to theappended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which suchclaims are entitled. The disclosures of all articles and references,including patent applications and publications, are incorporated byreference for all purposes. Other combinations are also possible as willbe gleaned from the following claims, which are also hereby incorporatedby reference into this written description.

The present teachings relate to a closure assembly that connects two ormore members together and prevents movement of the two members relativeto each other. The closure assembly may connect a movable member to aground member or connect two movable members together. The closureassembly may have a latch unit and a bar unit that are both displaceablerelative to each other to lock and unlock the closure assembly. Theclosure assembly may prevent movement of a door (e.g., movable member)relative to storage space (e.g., ground member). The closure assemblymay be part of a hand-held device, pliers, clamps, or a combinationthereof. The closure assembly may fit entirely within a hand piece, ahousing, a handle, or a combination thereof that fits within a hand of auser. The closure assembly may move from a first side of a hand piece, ahousing, a handle, or a combination thereof to a second side. Theclosure assembly may be part of a drawer, cabinet, bin, a door, or acombination thereof. Preferably, the closure assembly is part of asurgical device and prevents arms that control forceps from movingrelative to each other.

The present teachings relate to a surgical device. The surgical devicemay be a non-electrical device (i.e., may only provide mechanicalfunctions such as mechanical cutting or gripping). Preferably, thesurgical device is an electrosurgical device. The electrosurgical devicemay provide one or more therapy currents. Preferably, theelectrosurgical device provides two or more therapy currents (e.g.,monopolar power and bipolar power). A therapy current may pass betweenthe jaws (e.g., bipolar power). A therapy current may pass from a jaw toa blade or vice versa. A therapy current (e.g., monopolar power) maypass from a blade to a remote electrode (e.g., ground pad). Theelectrosurgical device may apply power before, after, or simultaneouslywith a mechanical technique (e.g., gripping or cutting). When power isapplied an anatomical feature may be cut, cauterized, sealed,coagulated, or a combination thereof. The electrosurgical device mayinclude a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end may include aportion of a forceps device (e.g., jaws, blade, or both). The distal endmay be a portion of the surgical device that is farthest from a user.The proximal end may be a portion a user grips (e.g., hand piece orhousing) or a portion closest to a user.

The present teachings provide a forceps device. The forceps may functionto grip an object. Preferably, the forceps may be used during surgery togrip a feature of interest including: a part of a body, an anatomicalfeature, tissue, veins, arteries, or a combination thereof. The forcepsmay assist in applying a therapy current to a feature of interest. Theforceps may move between a first position (e.g., release position) and asecond position (e.g., gripping position). The forceps may be fullyclosed in a full-pull position or partially closed in a partial pullposition. The forceps may function to be used in surgery, for examplelaparoscopic surgery. The forceps may be used with or without power. Atherapy current may be passed from one jaw to a second jaw when tissueis located between the jaws and the therapy current may coagulate blood,cauterize, cut, or a combination thereof. In another example, a therapycurrent may be passed from one or more of the jaws and/or a blade to aremote electrode (e.g., a return pad). The forceps may include a firstworking arm with a jaw and a second working arm with a jaw. The forcepsmay be comprised of parts needed to perform the recited functions andmay include generally, a stylet (e.g., a tubular member, a hollow tube,or an assembly of tubes), a hand piece, one or more operable mechanismsused to actuate the stylet, two or more jaws, two or more working arms,or a combination thereof.

The two or more working arms may function to move towards and away fromeach other to assist a user in gripping a feature of interest. The twoor more working arms may be directly biased towards each other by auser. Preferably, the two or more working arms are biased towards eachother by a stylet or tube moving over the arms (e.g., distally) so thatthe arms are moved together. The two or more working arms may be movedtowards each other by being retracted into a stylet or tube. The two ormore arms may be moved towards each other by direct pressure beingapplied to one or both of the working arms. The working arms may besolid and rotate about a pivot. The working arms may be a wire that isshaped to create a working arm, a jaw, or both. The working arms mayhave one or more rods, one or more wires, or both that extend into astylet and connect to the hand piece. Each of the two or more workingarms may include a jaw.

The two or more opposing jaws may function to create a gripping force,grip a feature of interest, or both. The two or more opposing jaws maymove towards each other to create a gripping force, to grip a feature ofinterest, or both. The two or more opposing jaws may function to be usedto grip or clamp an item of interest for cutting or applying a bipolarenergy source. Preferably, the two or more opposing jaws may be one jawstructure with another mirror image opposing jaw structure (i.e.,identical) that when forced together may create a gripping function. Thetwo opposing jaws may be any two or more structures that may be movablerelative to each other for perform a gripping function. The two opposingjaws may be any structures that may allow one jaw to be static and onejaw to be movable or any combination thereof. The jaws may be a grippingportion of a working arm. The two opposing jaws may be formed of twowires that are shaped to have a generally “U” shaped end. The twoopposing jaws may be made of any material so that the two opposing jawsmay be used to create a gripping force. The two opposing jaws may bemade of a flexible material, resilient material, rigid stainless steel,a plastically deformable material, an elastically deformable material,or a combination thereof. The jaws, working arms, or both may besubstantially solid but may have some elasticity. The two opposing jawsmay be made of a material that conducts electricity. The two opposingjaws may include a channel (e.g., a blade track) to allow for a cuttinginstrument to be inserted while retaining functionality of the two ormore opposing jaws. The two opposing jaws may be used to applyelectricity to a feature of interest that may be gripped by the twoopposing jaws. The two opposing jaws may be a first jaw and a secondjaw. The first jaw may be movable relative to the second jaw, or viceversa. The first jaw and second jaw may be longitudinally movablerelative to each other. Preferably, the first jaw and second jawlongitudinally move in unison. The first jaw and second jaw may belongitudinally static. The first jaw and second jaw may move about apivot towards and away from each other. The two opposing jaws may bemoved between a release position and a retract position by retraction ofone of the one or more jaw shafts, movement of the one or more tubularmembers towards the distal end, or both along an axis of the one or moretubular members; an application of force by a user; or a combinationthereof. The two opposing jaws may have laterally extending arcuatesections at the proximal end (e.g., heel of the jaw) of the jaws thatprotrude out from the distal end of the tubular member, while one ormore jaw support rods extend into the tubular member. A closure assemblymay lock the two opposing jaws together, lock the two opposing jaws ontissue, lock the two opposing jaws on a blade, or a combination thereof.

The blade may function to cut a feature of interest. The blade may beany cutting tool that may be used in surgery, for example laparoscopicsurgery or open surgery. The blade may be any cutting device that may beextended and retracted through the stylet or between the first workingarm and the second working arm. The blade may extend along a stylet. Theblade may be made of any material that may be sharpened; is strongenough to cut a feature of interest; is biocompatible; that may conductelectricity; or a combination thereof. The blade may mechanically cut,electrically cut, or both. The blade may be substantially solid along alength of the blade. The blade may be sufficiently small so that theblade may be housed in the tubular member, tube, or both of a styletduring movement, insertion, or both. The blade may be extended into, andretracted from, a channel in the two opposing jaws. The distal end ofthe blade may have a shaped edge. The blade may extend flush with ordistal of the jaws. The blade may conduct power. The blade may conduct atherapy current. The blade may conduct bipolar energy, monopolar energy,or both. The proximal end of the blade may be attached to a bladesupport rod. The blade may be connected to a closure assembly thatrestricts movement of the blade or assists in moving the blade. All or aportion of the blade may extend out of the stylet, between and past thejaws, or both to cut a feature of interest.

The stylet as discussed herein may include one or more tubular membersor may be a tubular member (i.e., tube). The stylet may be a neck thatconnects jaws, a blade, or both to a hand piece. The stylet may includeone or more tubes, one or more shafts, or both that may extend throughthe tubes. The stylet may include a tubular member and an inner tube.The stylet may be a hollow tube with one or more shafts extendingthrough the hollow tube. The stylet may function to extend into apatient during a surgical procedure so that a user (i.e., surgeon) canperform one or more surgical procedures. The stylet may be flexible sothat the stylet may be moved within a patient. Preferably, the styletmay be substantially rigid so that the stylet may be moved to a desiredlocation. The stylet includes a distal end and a proximal end. Thedistal end may be an end of the stylet that is located farthest from thehand piece (e.g., the end of the stylet that is inserted into apatient). The proximal end of the stylet may be the end of the tubelocated proximate to the user, in the hand piece, or both. The styletand its components may be made of any biocompatible material, forexample, stainless steel, plastic, a synthetic material, a naturalmaterial, or a combination thereof. The tube sub-assembly may includeone or more tubes, one or more inner tubes, one or more outer tubes, oneor more gripping assemblies, one or more cutting assemblies, one or morerotation mechanisms, one or more operable mechanisms, one or morecamming shafts, one or more guides, one or more spacing members, one ormore jaw shafts, one or more blade shafts, or a combination thereof.Preferably, the stylet includes at least an outer tube that extend froma hand piece to a distal end.

The one or more outer tubes may function to close the jaws, bias thejaws, or both. The one or more outer tubes may function to house one ormore jaws, one or more blades, or both. The one or more outer tubes maybe axially static. The one or more outer tubes may axially move to openand close the jaws. The one or more jaws may overrun the inner tube, thejaws, the arcuate sections, or a combination thereof to bias the jawstowards each other. The one or more inner tubes may function to create apoint of contact for one or more jaws. The one or more inner tubes mayform a connection point, include a connection feature (e.g., a pin,bolt, screw, rivet, or a combination thereof) for one or more jaws. Theone or more inner tubes may be part of a tubular member or a stylet. Theone or more inner tubes may be movable relative to an outer tube. Theone or more forceps may be free of any tubes or tubular members. The oneouter tubes of the stylet may assist in connecting the jaws, the blade,or both to the hand piece.

The hand piece may be an assembly of parts or housing structures capableof forming a structure with a cavity that a user holds in their hand.The hand piece may function to be gripped by a user. When gripped by auser a top or upper portion of the handpiece may be located up relativeto a user's hand and the bottom or lower portion may be located downrelative to a user's hand. Thus, up may include the one or more button,a region the stylet extends from, or both, and down may be where a cordextends out of the hand piece. The hand piece may function to hold orencapsulate one or more or a plurality of components of the surgicaldevice. The forceps may extend from the hand piece and may be actuatedby one or more operable mechanisms located within the hand piece. Theforceps may be actuated by direct pressure being applied to one or bothof the jaws that extend from the hand piece so that the jaws are movedtowards or away from each other (e.g., laterally moved). The forceps maybe actuated by movement of a trigger that is connected to the handpiece. The hand piece and the trigger may be biased apart. A bias devicemay extend between the hand piece and the trigger so that a gap islocated between the hand piece and the trigger. The hand piece and thetrigger may be biased apart. A bias device may extend between the handpiece and the trigger so that a gap is located between the hand pieceand the trigger. A bias device may be located along the stylet, withinthe hand piece, in communication with a part that axially moves so thatthe working arms are moved together, or a combination thereof. The biasdevice may be a bias device taught herein including those taught in U.S.Pat. No. 9,851,741 regarding a compression spring or element 90 or theteachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,849 regarding a torsion spring orelement 80 the teachings of which are incorporated by reference hereinfor all purposes include those regarding how a moveable member is movedrelative to a ground member and especially how a trigger is movedrelative to a handle. The hand piece may be solid and the first workingarm and the second working arm, the first jaw and the second jaw, orboth may be biased apart by a bias member. The hand piece may includethe latch unit and the trigger may include the movement unit and whenthe movement unit and the latch unit are not connected together the biasmember may move the trigger to form the gap therebetween. A firstworking arm may include the latch unit and a second working arm mayinclude the movement unit. The forceps may create a sufficient grippingforce so that one or more features of interest (e.g., a part of apatient's body) may be manipulated by the gripping assembly, secured bythe gripping assembly, or a combination thereof. The forceps may gripand release while being simultaneously rotated about the hand piece. Theforceps may be actuated by the actuation mechanism in communication withthe forceps or a user directly contacting the forceps. The hand piecemay function to form an enclosing structure for all or a portion of theforceps, a gripping portion for the user, a main portion formanipulating the forceps, or a combination thereof. The hand piece maybe any device that houses all or a portion of the working assemblies andparts of the forceps. The hand piece may be comprised of one or morehousing structures. Preferably, the hand piece is two or more housingstructures. The housing structures may be two plastic pieces thatconnect together to enclose an open space that receives components ofthe surgical device. The hand piece may be any structure that is grippedby a user. The hand piece may be a ground member. The hand piece may bestatic. The hand piece may be a ground member that is static when a userapplies a pressure so that a movable member is moved relative to theground member. The hand piece may assist in performing laparoscopicsurgery. The hand piece may be ergonomically shaped. The hand piece maybe used ambidextrously. The hand piece may form a cavity to houseworking assemblies of the forceps. The hand piece may be one or morehousing structures and preferably two or more housing structures. Thehand piece may be any device that includes a recess for receiving one ormore components of the forceps. The housing structures may house all ora portion of one or more operable mechanisms, one or more valves, one ormore fluid distribution systems, or a combination thereof. The handpiece may house all or a portion of an operable mechanism that causesthe jaws to move, the blade to move, the valve to open, the valve toclose, all or a portion of a fluid distribution system, or a combinationthereof. The hand piece may be made of one or more housings.

The one or more housings may function to form a hand piece, enclose aportion of an operable mechanism, enclose a portion of a stylet, encloseone or more tubes, or a combination thereof. The one or more housingsmay be a left half and a right half or a top half and a bottom half. Thehousing may be multiple pieces that are connected together. The housingmay be made of plastic. The housing may be a combination of plastic andmetal. The housing may provide a stationary part (e.g., ground member)that a user grips while a user moves a trigger (e.g., movable member) toactuate the forceps, a blade, or both. Preferably, the housing isconnected to two or more triggers that movably connect to the housing sothat upon actuation the jaws, blade, fluid distribution system, or acombination thereof are moved or actuated by one of the two or moretriggers. More preferably, the triggers are movable relative to thehousing to actuate the jaws, blade, fluid distribution system, or acombination thereof. The housing may be connected to a first jaw, asecond jaw, or both jaws of forceps and a direct force may be applied tothe housings in order to move the forceps towards or apart from eachother. For example, upon a force being applied to the housing the jawsmay move towards each other. In another example, upon a force beingapplied to the housing the jaws may move apart. The housing may be aproximal end (e.g., end closest to a user) and the jaws or blade may bethe distal end (e.g., end farthest from a user). The housing may includeall or a portion of a closure assembly. Preferably, the housing includesthe latch unit. The jaws, blade, fluid distribution system, or acombination thereof may be moved between a first position (releaseposition) and a second position (retract position) by one or moreoperable mechanisms or direct contact by a user. The housing may have aportion that is a handle that a user grips.

The handle may function to assist in actuation of the forceps, theblade, applying electricity, or a combination thereof. The handle may begripped by one hand. The handle may be part of the hand piece. Thehandle may include a lock, a lock plate, all or a portion of a closureassembly, a latch unit, or a combination thereof. The handle may be aproximal end of the surgical device. The handle may extend from a bodyportion or the hand piece. The handle may extend from an angle relativeto the body portion of the hand piece. The handle may be a static memberthat one or more triggers move relative to. The handle may include alatch unit. The handle may be a ground member that a movable member, atrigger, or both are movable relative to.

The ground member may function to be static and another part (e.g., themovable member) may be moved relative to the ground member. The groundmember may form a coordinate system, a reference point for relativemotion of other components of the device taught herein, or a center of acoordinate system. The ground member may be connected to or located nextto a movable member and function to prevent movement of anothercomponent such as forceps or a blade as the movable member movesrelative to the ground member. The ground member may be part of a firstworking arm. The ground member may be a handle, a housing, a hand piece,or a combination thereof. Preferably, the ground member is the handle orhand piece. The ground member may include all or a portion of a closureassembly. Preferably, the ground member may include all of the latchunit. The ground member may receive a portion of a force to assist amovable member in being moved relative to the ground member. The groundmember may receive a portion of the movable member to form a lockedstate.

The movable member may function to move relative to a ground member sothat the forceps or blade may be actuated, locked, released, or acombination thereof. The movable member may be biased apart from theground member (e.g., a bias device may be located between the movablemember and the ground member). The movable member may move with orrelative to a ground member to lock, unlock, bias, or a combinationthereof two or more jaws two or more working arms, a blade, or acombination thereof. The movable member may move to open and close thejaws, move the blade, or both. Preferably, the movable member may be atrigger. More preferably, the movable member may be a cut trigger, aclamp trigger, or both. The movable member may include all or a portionof the closure assembly. Preferably, the movable member may include orbe connected to the movement unit. The movable member may move relativeto the ground member so that the movement unit moves along a movementpath (e.g., prescribed motion). The movable member may rotate about apivot relative to the ground member, may translate relative to theground path, may move in a nonlinear or nonrotating movement of amechanism such as four bar linkage relative to the ground member, or acombination thereof. The movable member may be part of the closureassembly that assists in locking the jaws, the working arms, thesurgical device, or a combination thereof.

The closure assembly may function to connect a movable member and aground member together. The closure assembly may function to lock afirst working arm to a second working arm, a first jaw to a second jaw,a blade in an extended state or in a retraced state, or a combinationthereof. The closure assembly may be movable between a lockable stateand an unlockable state. The closure assembly may lock two itemstogether when the closure assembly is in a locked state. The closureassembly may freely move as the movable member, the ground member, orboth move relative to each other or are in an unlockable state. Aportion of the closure assembly may be located on or within the movablemember, the ground member, the movement unit, the latch unit, or acombination thereof. Preferably, the closure assembly includes amovement unit and a latch unit. More preferably, the closure assemblymay be part of a movable member and a ground member and the movablemember may be a trigger and the ground member may be a handle.

The one or more triggers function to be an input to an operablemechanism that moves one or both jaws, one or both working arms, one ormore blades, or a combination thereof. The one or more triggers mayfunction to be an input that directly moves one or more working arms, ablade, or both. The one or more triggers may be a movable member or aground member. Preferably, the triggers are a movable member and theground is a handle or hand piece. The one or more triggers as discussedherein may be a lever, handle, link, or a combination thereof. The oneor more triggers may be a cut trigger, a clamp trigger, an activationswitch, or a combination thereof that when actuated inputs movement intoan operable mechanism so that the operable mechanism provides an output.If the triggers are a lever, the lever is a rigid member that turns on apivot. The cut lever, the clamp lever, or both may function to move oneor more jaws, one or more blades, a jaw support rod, a blade supportrod, a second link, one or more valves, or a combination thereof. Thecut lever, the clamp lever, or both may extend between a releaseposition ((e.g., a start position) in a forward stroke direction) and aretract position ((e.g., a full pull position where the jaws are closed,the blade is extended, or both) in a return stroke direction). The cutlever and the clamp lever may be individually biased apart from thehandle, the hand piece, or both. The cut lever, the clamp lever, or bothas they extend from a start position (or home position) to a fullpull-position may close jaws, activate a functional element, extend ablade, or a combination thereof. For example, as the clamp trigger ismoved in a forward stroke direction, the clamp trigger may begin toclose the jaws and as the jaws close a closure assembly maysimultaneously be closed such that the jaws are locked together. The oneor more triggers may assist in moving the one or more blades, one ormore working arms or both from a closed state to an open state when thetriggers move in a return stroke direction. The one or more triggers maybe part of the closure assembly, part of a movement unit, or both.Preferably, the one or more triggers carry the movement unit so that themovement unit when in communication with the latch unit may restrictmovement of the trigger.

The movement unit may be integrally connected to a movable member, atrigger, or both. The movement unit may extend from the movable membertowards the ground member and even into the ground member. A portion ofthe movement unit may be located within the movement member. Themovement unit may move with the movement member. Preferably, themovement unit moves with the movement member and all or a portion of themovement unit moves with the movement member. The movement unit may movein along a longitudinal axis of the movement member. The movement unitmay move in a prescribed motion relative to the ground member. Theprescribed movement may be a linear motion, an arcuate movement, or acombination of both. The prescribed motion may overlap in a firstdirection and a second direction. For example, the bar extending alongthe prescribed motion in a forward stroke is the same movement locationwhen the bar extends along the prescribed motion in the return stroke.The movement unit may rotate about a pivot so that the movement unittravels back and forth along a constant path (e.g., a prescribedmotion). The movement unit may extend cantilever from a movable member,a trigger, or both. The movement unit may extend into contact with alatch unit to form a locked state. The movement unit may move inrelationship to the latch unit to form an unlocked state. The movementunit may move in a prescribed motion at all times and the latch unit maymove relative to the movement unit so that a lockable state, anunlockable state, a locked state, an unlocked state, or a combinationthereof may be formed. The movement unit may include one or more bararms, one or more bars, a bar movement frame, a bar frame, a pivot, abar stop, one or more bar biasing members, or a combination thereof.

The bar unit functions to connect to a latch unit. The bar unit mayinclude one or more bars that connect to one or more hook latches. Thebar unit may be part of or included within a movable member. All or aportion of a bar unit may be movable relative to the movable member,along the movable member, or both. Preferably, the bar unit and themovement unit are the same. The bar unit may include one or more bars,one or more bar frames, one or more bar movement units or a pivot, oneor more bar biasing members, one or more bar stops, or a combinationthereof.

The one or more bar frames may function to connect the movement unit,the bar unit, or both to a member and preferably to a movement unit. Theone or more bar frames may ground all or portion of the movement unit.The bar frame may be part of the trigger, the movement unit, or both.The bar frame may be connected to the trigger, the movement unit, orboth. The one or more bar frames may be connected to or include a barbiasing member, a bar stop, a bar movement unit, a pivot, or acombination thereof. The bar frames may include a window that receivesall or a portion of the bar movement unit. The window may receive a pin,a connection member, or both. The window may connect to a bar arm sothat the bar arm rotates about an axis. The bar frame may include atrack. The bar frames may be connected to a pivot. The bar frame mayground the bar movement unit, the pivot, or both. The bar frame mayguide a bar movement unit along a trigger, a movement member, or both.The bar frame may house the bar movement unit and the bar arm may extendfrom the bar frame. The bar frame may ground a bar stop, a bar biasingmember, or both. The bar frame may have one or more sidewalls. The oneor more sidewalls may guide a bar movement unit, stop a bar movementunit, or both.

The one or more bar movement units may function to permit the bar tomove relative to the movement unit, the trigger, the latch unit, or acombination thereof. The one or more bar movement units may be part ofthe movement unit that moves relative to a movement member, a trigger, abar frame, or a combination thereof. The bar movement unit may slidealong a track of the bar frame. Preferably, the bar movement unit mayslide within a window within the bar frame. The bar movement unit mayallow the bar to circumnavigate the hook latch. The bar movement unitmay be movably connected within the bar frame. The bar movement unit mayslide. The bar movement unit may move along a longitudinal axis of thetrigger, movement unit, or both. The bar movement unit may connect thebar, the bar arm, or both within a movement unit, a bar frame, or both.The bar frame may be free of a bar movement unit, the bar movement unitmay be a pivot, or both.

The one or more pivots may function to permit the bar to move relativeto the movement unit, the trigger, the latch unit, or a combinationthereof. The one or more pivots may allow for rotatable movement of thebar arm relative to the bar frame, the trigger, the movement member, ora combination thereof. The one or more pivots may allow the bar tocircumnavigate the hook latch. The one or more pivots may be an axis.The one or more pivots may be a point of connection between the bar armand the bar frame. The one or more pivots may allow for rotationalmovement of the bar arm relative to the bar arm relative to the barframe. The one or more pivots, the bar movement unit, or both may beconnected to or moved by one or more bar biasing members.

The one or more bar biasing members function to move the bar, themovement unit, the bar arm, or a combination thereof. The one or morebar biasing members may function to bias or displace the bar arm, thebar, or both to a home position, a neutral state, into contact with abar stop, or a combination thereof. The one or more bar biasing membersmay be a spring, a torsion spring, a compression spring, an elastomericmember, an extension spring, a conical spring, an elastomeric piece, ora combination thereof. The bar biasing members may be the same as alatch biasing member. The teachings herein for the bar biasing memberand the latch biasing member may be interchanged. The bar biasing membermay expand and contract within movement of the bar arm, the bar, orboth. The bar biasing member may be located around an axis. The barbiasing member may be a torsion spring that is compressed, oruncompressed as the bar arm moves relative to the bar frame, thetrigger, the movement member, or a combination thereof. The bar biasingmember may be a bar arm that extends from a bar frame. The bar biasingmember may form a cantilevered connection that supports the bar at anend from the bar frame. The bar biasing member may be a linear piece.The bar biasing member be or include a spring steel, elastomer, plastic,or a combination thereof. The bar biasing member have a home state thatis straight. The bar biasing member may extend or be deflected up, down,or both. The bar biasing member may have a loading characteristic thatis substantially the same as the latch biasing member. The bar biasingmember may have a loading characteristic that is greater than the latchbiasing member. The bar biasing member may have a loading characteristicthat is less than the latch biasing member. The one or more bar biasingmembers may be biased in a first direction, a second direction, or bothso that a bias force of the one or more biasing members are increased.The bar biasing member and the latch biasing member may have a loadingcharacteristic that are within about 0.005 N or more, about 0.05 N ormore, or about 0.01 N or more. The bar biasing member and the latchbiasing member may have a loading characteristic that are within about 5N or less, about 3 N or less, or about 1 N or less. The one or more barbiasing members, latch biasing members, or both may exert a force ofabout 0.005 N or more, about 0.05 N or more, about 0.075 N or more,about 1 N or more, or about 2 N or more. The one or more bar biasingmembers, latch biasing members, or both may exert a force of about 30Nor less, about 20 N or less, or about 10 N or less. The one or more barbiasing members, latch biasing members, or both may be in contact with abar stop so that the bar biasing member, latch biasing members, or bothis pre-loaded when the bar biasing member, the latch biasing member, orboth are in the home position. The pre-load may be greater than 0 N,about 0.2 N or more, about 0.5 N or more, about 0.75 N. or more, orabout 1 N or more in the home position. The pre-load may be about 30 N,or less about 20 N or less, or about 10 N or less in the home position.Preferably, the preload is about 0.5 N or more and more preferably about0.066 N or more in the home position. A load on the bar bias member maybe increased when the latch unit moves in a first direction, a seconddirection, or both relative to a home position of the latch unit. Anincrease in load or a change in load of the bar biasing member, thelatch biasing member, or both may be about 1 N or more, about 3 N ormore, about 5 N or more, about 7 N or more, or about 10 N or more. Theincrease in load or the change in load may be about 50 N or less, about30 N or less, about 20 N or less, or about 15 N or less. The one or morebar biasing members may extend as the bar arm moves in a firstdirection, a second direction, away from a bar stop, or a combinationthereof. The one or more bar biasing members may be compressed as thebar arm moves in a first direction, a second direction, toward a barstop, away from a bar stop, or a combination thereof.

The one or more bar stops may function to prevent movement of the latchunit, a bar arm, a bar, or a combination thereof. The one or more barstops may function to pre-load a bar biasing member. The one or more barstops may be a projection from a bar frame. The one or more bar stopsmay be part of the bar frame that prevents longitudinal movement,rotational movement, or both of the bar arm. The one or more stops maybe located on a track, in a window, or both of the bar frame. The one ormore bar stops may be part of the housing, hand piece, handle, or acombination thereof. The one or more bar stops may be part of, attachedto, movable with, movable relative to, or a combination thereof thelatch unit, the ground member, the movable member, the movement unit, ora combination thereof. The one or more bar stops may be static. The oneor more bar stops may be a molded part of the bar frame. The one or morebar stops may be located a predetermined distance from an end of thewindow so that the bar biasing member is biased a pre-determined amount,has a pre-load, or both. The one or more bar stops may have a similarshape and structure to a latch stop. The teachings herein for the barstops may be used for the latch stops, or vice versa. The bar stops maybe located inside of the handle, inside of the bar frame, outside of thebar frame, outside of the handle, or a combination thereof. There may bemore than one bar stop. There may be an upper bar stop, a lower barstop, or both. The one or more bar stops may restrict movement of thebar arm so that the bar arm is prevented from moving beyond apredetermined location.

The one or more bar arms may function to extend from a movable member sothat a portion of the bar arm, the bar, or a combination thereof areextendable into a ground member, a latch unit, or both. The one or morebar arms may extend cantilever from the trigger, the movable member, orboth. The one or more bar arms may extend partially into the latch unit,a latching pathway, around a hook latch, or a combination thereof. Theone or more bar arms may be located at virtually any location on amovable member, a trigger, or both. Preferably, the one or more bar armsare located on a bottom of the movable member. The one or more bar armsmay be rigid (e.g., non-flexible). The one or more bar arms may be solidand rotatable about a pivot. The one or more bar arms may be connectedto the bar frame by a pivot, a pin, a bar biasing member, or acombination thereof. The one or more bar arms may be free of movementalong a longitudinal axis of the movement unit, the trigger, or both.The one or more bar arms may be pivotably movable relative to therelative to the movement unit, the trigger, or both. The one or more bararms may be elastically deformable. The one or more bar arms may be abar biasing member. The one or more bar arms may be biased by the barcontacting a bar stop, a wall, a latching pathway, or a combinationthereof. The one or more bar arms may store energy. The one or more bararms may be pre-loaded. The one or more bar arms may be free of apre-load. When the one or more bar arms are a bar biasing member, theone or more bar arms may have a loading characteristic when the springis stretch, compresses, or moved from a home position (e.g., a neutralposition or resting position). The loading characteristic may exert anopposing force to the one or more hook latches or the one or more hooklatch biasing members. The loading characteristic of the bar arm may besubstantially equal to a loading characteristic of a hook latch or hooklatch biasing member. For example, when the bar and the hook latchcontact each other, both the bar arm (e.g., bar biasing member) and thelatch biasing member may be displaced at the same time or may bedisplaced in a sequence. The loading characteristic of the bar arm maybe less than a loading characteristic of a hook latch or latch biasingmember. For example, the latch biasing member may displace the bar arm,the bar arm may be displaced until the bar arm contacts a bar stop, orboth and then latch biasing member, the hook latch, or both may bedisplaced. The loading characteristic of the bar arm may be greater thana loading characteristic of a hook latch or hook latch biasing member.For example, the bar arm (e.g., bar biasing member) may displace thelatch biasing member, and/or the hook latch and latch biasing member maybe displaced until the hook latch, the latch biasing member, or bothcontact a stop and the bar arm may be biased. The one or more bar armsmay be linear in shape. The one or more bar arms may be tapered. The oneor more bar arms may taper as the bar arms extend away from the movablemember and towards the ground member. The one or more bar arms may taperin shape so that once a sufficient amount of the bar arm extends intothe latch unit, the latching pathway, or both the one or more bar armsmay be prevented from extending further into the latch unit, thelatching pathway, or both. A distal end, narrowest region, taperedportion, end that extends into the latch unit, end that extends into thelatching pathway, or a combination thereof may include one or more bars.Preferably, the one or more bars may be located on a side of the bar arm(e.g., may extend normal to the bar arm). More preferably, the one ormore bars extend substantially normal from the bar arm.

The one or more bars may function to connect the movement unit to thelatch unit so that movement of the movable member or movement unitrelative to the ground member is prevented (e.g., create a lockedstate). The one or more bars may move through a pathway to connect andrelease a closure assembly. Preferably, the one or more bars connect amovement unit to a latch unit. More preferably, the one or more barsconnect to the hook latch to form a locked state. The one or more barsmay be movably mounted to move along a prescribed path. The one or morebars may be virtually any shape so that the bars are movable through alatching pathway into the latch unit and then along a pathway to createa locked state and an unlocked state. The one or more bars may contact ahook latch to create a locked state. The one or more bars may be movedaway from a hook latch to move along the pathway from a locked state toan unlocked state. The one or more bars may be displaced from homeposition (e.g., a neutral position) in a first direction, a seconddirection, or both that are transverse to the prescribed path unit theone or more bars contact a bar stop that prevents movement in the firstdirection, the second direction, or both. When the one or more bars arebiased in a first direction, the one or more hook latches may be biasedin a second direction or the one or more hook latches may remain in ahome position. For example, the one or more hook latches may remain in ahome position by being restrained by a stop. The one or more bars may bemoved and a load on the one or more bars increases above the pre-load.When the one or more hook latches are biased in a first direction, theone or more bars may be biased in a second direction or remain in a homeposition. For example, the one or more hook latches may remain in a homeposition by being restrained by a stop). Each movement unit andpreferably each trigger may include only one bar, one bar arm, or both.For example, if the device includes two triggers each trigger mayinclude a bar arm and a bar. The one or more bars may only extend alongone side of the hook latch. Preferably, the one or more bars maycircumnavigate the hook latch. The one or more bars may be a projectionthat extends from the bar arm and ultimately from a movable member or atrigger so that when the bar is trapped the movable member, the trigger,or both are prevented from being moved. The one or more bars may extendcantilever from a bar arm. The bar may be cylindrical, cubical, a cone,a cuboid, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the bar is cylindricalso that the bar may extend through a latching pathway, into the latchunit, and around a pathway of the latch unit.

The latching pathway may function to receive the bar into the latchunit, the ground member, the housing, the handpiece, the handle, or acombination thereof. The latching pathway may be an opening in thehousing, hand piece, forceps, handle, or a combination thereof. Thelatching pathway is aligned within bar so that as the bar moves in aprescribed motion the bar will pass into and through the latchingpathway. For example, the prescribed motion is the motion of the triggerabout a pivot point and the bar extends into and through the latchingpathway as the bar moves along this prescribed motion. The latchingpathway may be an absence of material. The latching pathway may be partof the housing, handle, hand piece, or a combination thereof (e.g., agap or spaced formed in the housing). The latching pathway may have oneor more depths. The latching pathway may be an internal structure or anexternal structure. The latching pathway may permit the bar to extendthrough a portion (e.g., the bar pathway). The latching pathway maypermit a portion of the bar arm to extend into the latching unit, thehandle, or both (e.g., bar arm pathway). The latching pathway may have aheight, width, length, or a combination thereof that permits a lockingarm to extend a predetermined distance along the prescribed motion ofthe movable member. The latching pathway may include a bar pathway and abar arm pathway. The bar arm pathway may be longer than the bar pathway.The bar pathway may have a thickness that is less than the bar pathway.The bar may not fit through the bar arm pathway. The bar arm pathway maycontact a portion of the bar arm to restrict movement of the movablemember. The bar pathway may be a deeper portion of the bar arm pathwaywhere the bar can extend through into the latch unit. The bar armpathway, the bar pathway, the latching pathway, or a combination thereofmay allow for movement of the bar, the bar arm, or both. For example,the bar arm may longitudinally move when the bar contacts the hook latchso that a locked state is created. The latching pathway may accommodaterotational movement of the bar arm, longitudinal movement of the barpathway, or both. The latching pathway may guide the bar, the bar arm,or both as the bar and the hook latch connect to each other, moverelative to each other, form a locked state, or a combination thereof.The latching pathway may include one or more stops. The latching pathwaymay be a stop. The latching pathway may include a bar stop, a latchstop, or both. Preferably, the latching pathway is free of stops. Thelatching pathway may permit ingress and egress of the latch unitrelative to the housing, the handle, hand piece, a stop, a trigger stop,an aperture, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the latching pathwayis located internal of an aperture.

The one or more apertures may function to protect a latching pathway,create a stop, create a trigger stop, form an opening in an externalwall of the housing, or a combination thereof. The one or more aperturesmay be an opening in the hand piece, housing, handle, or a combinationthereof. The aperture may permit the movement unit to extend into thelatch unit. The aperture may restrict movement of the movement unitrelative to the latch unit. The aperture may create a trigger stop thatcontacts the movable member, a trigger, the cut trigger, the clamptrigger, or a combination thereof. For example, the aperture may be atrigger stop or include a trigger stop when only a predetermined amountof a trigger may extend into the aperture before the aperture contactsthe trigger to restrict movement.

The trigger stop may function to restrict motion of a movable member,trigger, of both relative to a ground member, a handle, or both. Thetrigger stop may restrict movement of the movement unit relative tolatch unit. The trigger stop may restrict movement of a trigger, a bar,or both along the prescribed path. The latching pathway may extendthrough the trigger stop. The trigger stop may be an outer wall of thehand piece, the handle, the housing, or a combination thereof. Thetrigger stop may be an inner portion of the latching pathway where thebar arm contacts so that movement is prevented. The trigger stop may belocated at any location along the movable member, the ground member, orboth. Preferably, the trigger stop is part of the ground member, handle,or both. The trigger stop may be flush with the trigger, the movablemember, the ground member, the handle, or a combination thereof. Thetrigger stop may extend outward from the trigger, the movable member,the ground member, the handle, or a combination thereof. The triggerstop may be an internal wall located within the hand piece that contactsa portion of the bar arm as the bar arm travels along a prescribedmotion. The trigger stop may allow the bar to contact the latch unitwhen the latch unit is in the lockable state and to prevent the bar fromcontacting all or a portion of the latch unit when the latch unit is inthe unlockable state.

The latch unit may function to create a connection with a movement unitso that the movable member and the ground member are locked together.The latch unit may retain a portion of the movement unit. The latch unitand the movement unit may be movable relative to each other. The latchunit and the movement unit may be movable relative to the movementmember and the ground member respectively. The latch unit may move asthe movement unit moves along a prescribed path, an arcuate movement, orboth (e.g., during a forward stroke, a return stroke, or both (i.e.,during locking, during unlocking, or both)). For example, as themovement unit moves along the prescribed path the movement unit may movethe latch unit so that the latch unit and the movement unit are movedinto a locked state, an unlocked state, or both. The latch unit may moverelative to the movable member, the ground member, or both. The latchunit may include a lockable state, an unlockable state, or both. Thelatch unit may be under a load (or pre-load) when the closure assemblyis moved between or to a home position, a locked position, an unlockedposition, a lockable state, an unlockable state, or a combinationthereof. Preferably, the latch unit includes a pre-load when the latchunit is in the home position, the latch unit is free of contact with themovement unit, or both. The latch unit may move along a longitudinalaxis (e.g., all or a portion of the latch unit may move along thehandle, the hand piece or both up and down as the movement unit movesinto contact with the hook latch or out of contact with the hook latch).All or a portion of the latch unit may move along a length of the handleor the ground member. The latch unit may include one part. The latchunit may include one movable part. The latch unit may include a latchbias member, latch stop, a latch plate, latch unit frame, hook latch,adjustment switch, and guide aperture. Preferably, the latch unitincludes a latch plate. More preferably, the latch unit multiple piecesconnected together. The latch unit may be movable relative to themovement unit when the latch unit and the movable unit are in contact.The latch unit may be constrained within the handle by a recess in thelatch unit frame (e.g., a sidewall, a forward stop, a backward stop).

The latch unit frame may function to ground all or a portion of thelatch unit. The latch unit frame may restrict movement of a portion ofthe latch unit. The latch unit frame may connect to the handle, handpiece, housing, or a combination thereof and permit movement of thelatch biasing member, the latch plate, or both. The latch unit frame mayinclude one or more walls connected together. The latch unit frame mayinclude a plurality of walls connected together with a window therein.The window of the latch unit frame may receive a latch plate. The latchplate may be movable along the latch unit frame. The latch plate mayconnect to a latch biasing member directly. The latch biasing member mayextend from the latch unit frame and preferably cantilevered from thelatch unit frame. One or more latch stops may extend from the latch unitframe, into the window, or both. The latch unit frame may berectangular, round, oval, square, or a combination thereof. Preferably,the latch unit frame has a major dimension (e.g., length) and a minordimension (e.g., width). The latch plate, preferably, is movable aboutthe major dimension of the latch unit frame. The latch unit frame mayconnect to one end of a latch biasing member. The latch unit frame mayground the latch biasing member so that as the latch biasing member, thelatch plate, or both are displaced the latch biasing member increases inload. The latch unit frame may contact one or more sides of a latchplate, one or more ends of a latch plate, or both. For example, thelatch unit frame may include a sidewall that assists in controllingmovement of the latch plate laterally, longitudinally, or both. Thelatch unit frame may include one or more sidewalls that extend around afirst side, a second side, first end, second end, or a combinationthereof of the latch plate.

The sidewall may function to restrict movement of the latch unit, thelatch plate, or both. The sidewall may restrict forward movement,rearward movement, downward movement, upward movement, or a combinationthereof. The sidewall may extend along all or a portion of the latchunit, the latch plate, or both. The sidewall may be part of the housing,the handle, the hand piece, latch unit frame, or a combination thereof.The sidewall may restrict the latch plate so that the latch plate moveslongitudinally relative to the handle. The sidewall may permitlongitudinal movement but may restrict lateral movement. The sidewallmay be an internal wall within the housing, the handle, the hand piece,latch unit frame, or a combination thereof. The sidewall may have anexternal portion and an internal portion. The sidewall may include oneor more latch stops.

The one or more latch stops may function to restrict lateral movement orlongitudinal movement of the latch plate relative to the latch unitframe. The latch stop may be located between a latch movement unit andan end of the latch unit frame. The latch stop may prevent the barmovement unit from moving towards an end. The latch stop may preventfull extension, full contraction, or both of the latch biasing member.The latch stop may be an internal wall of the ground member, the latchunit, or both. The one or more latch stops may be part of, attached to,movable with, movable relative to, or a combination thereof the latchunit, the ground member, the movable member, the movement unit, or acombination thereof. The one or more latch stops may maintain the one ormore latch biasing members with a pre-load when the one or more hooklatches are in a home position. The latch stop may be a wall that moveswith the bar unit to restrict movement of the bar relative to the hooklatch. The latch stop may be a static piece. The latch stop may belocated above (e.g., in a plane over the return apex when the returnapex is located above the entry apex) the bar, the hook latch, or both.The latch stop may be located below (e.g., in a plane under the entryapex when the entry apex is located below the return apex) the bar, thehook latch, or both. The latch stop may be connected to the bar stop.The latch stop and bar stop may be located on a same wall, in a sameplane, in a different plane, in a stepped manner, or a combinationthereof. There may be one or more latch stops. There may be a pluralityof latch stops. There may be a first latch stop on a first side (e.g.,above or below) and a second latch stop on a second side (e.g., above orbelow) that opposes the first latch stop. A first latch stop and asecond latch stop may be on a same side and in a different plane. Thelatch stops may be part of the latch unit frame. The latch stops, latchunit frame, or both may be covered by a selection plate.

The selection plate may function to change the closure assembly betweena lockable state and an unlockable state. The selection plate may movealong a sliding axis, a switch path, or both to activate and deactivatethe closure assembly (e.g., change the latch unit between a lockablestate and an unlockable state). The selection plate may include anadjustment switch that extends out of the housing, hand piece, handle,or a combination thereof an is exposed for movement by the user.

The adjustment switch may function to move the closure assembly,deactivate the closure assembly, activate the closure assembly, or acombination thereof. The adjustment switch may be exposed so that upon aforce being applied to the adjustment switch the state of the closureassembly is changed. The adjustment switch may be movable along a switchpath. The adjustment switch may move the selection plate so that thelatch plate is moved between the unlockable state and the lockable stateto change the function of the closure assembly (e.g., activate anddeactivate).

The unlockable state detent and lockable state detents function to allowfree movement of the movable member and the ground member relative toeach other by locking the position of the latch unit out of the path ofthe movement unit or a distance from the movement unit so that themovement unit cannot lock to the ground unit or permit locking of themovable member relative to the ground member respectively. Theunlockable state detent and the lockable state detent (hereinafterdetents) may lock the selection plate, the latch plate, or both in alockable state or an unlockable state. The detents may allow a user toselect if the closure assembly is activated or deactivated. The detentsmay be one or more recesses that selectively receive a detent pin toselect the state of the closure assembly.

The detent pin functions to create a locked state, an unlocked state, orboth with the closure assembly. The detent pin functions to contact adetent and then lock the latch plate in a selected location. The one ormore detent pins may be a projection that contacts a detent to retainselection of a desired state. The one or more detent pins, detents, orboth may be part of the one or more latch plates.

The one or more latch plates may function to move when a hook latch iscontacted by a bar so that a locked state, an unlocked state, or bothare created. The latch plate may carry one or more elements that formthe pathway (e.g., a path that a bar moves along as the bar moves from alocked state to an unlocked state). The latch plate may carry or includethe bias member, detent pin, one or more detents, the hook latch, thewall guide, guide aperture, connection pin, selection plate, adjustmentswitch, or a combination thereof. The latch plate maybe free of a detentpin, detent, wall guide, guide aperture, selection plate, adjustmentswitch, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the latch plate is anintegral piece that includes the bias member having a detent pin and anadjustment switch, a selection plate including a hook latch, wall guide,and guide aperture. The latch plate may be a latch biasing member. Thelatch plate may rest in a home state and then move once acted upon bythe movement unit and preferably a bar. The latch plate may only move orbe movable when the latch unit is in a lockable state (e.g., duringlocking or unlocking of the closure assembly or moving the closureassembly between a lockable state and an unlockable state). The latchplate may only move when displaced by the movement unit. The latch platemay move along the prescribed motion between the lockable state and theunlockable state. All or a portion of the latch plate may move in thedirection of the prescribed motion, along the prescribed motion, or bothbetween a first state (e.g., lockable state) and a second state (e.g.,unlockable state). The latch plate may include one or more detents, adetent pin, or both that assist in locking the latch plate in each state(e.g., the unlockable state, the lockable state, or both). The latchplate may move along the sliding axis, tracks, the hand piece, thehousing, or a combination thereof. The latch plate may rotate about anaxis. The latch plate may be flexible so that the hook latch is movablefrom the home position. The latch plate may carry the hook latch andreturn the hook latch to a home position. The latch plate may move in alongitudinal direction, along a longitudinal axis, or both of the handpiece, the handle, the latch plate, or a combination thereof (e.g., thelatch plate path). The latch plate path may be a longitudinal movementof the latch plate up and down, toward and away from the home position,or both. Preferably, the latch plate path extends along the prescribedmotion of the bar. The latch plate path may move along or transverse toa prescribed path of the bar. The latch plate may move away from an intocontact with a latch stop. The latch plate and the latch stop may be incontact when the latch unit is in the home position. The latch plate maylongitudinally move as a bias member expands, contracts, or both. Theone or more latch plates may be connected to, in contact with, or both abias member and preferably a latch bias member. The one or more latchplates may be a latch bias member.

The bias members (e.g., bar biasing member, latch biasing member, orboth (herein after bias member)) may function to store energy when aforce is applied to the latch plate or the bar (or bar arm) and then torelease the energy when the force is removed. The bias member mayfunction to move the latch plate or bar to a home position. The biasmember may assist in locking or unlocking the movable member and theground member. The bias member may be any material that may storeenergy. The bias member may be a double acting member. For example, aload of the bias member may be increased in a first direction andincreased in a second direction. The home position may be a zero loadstate or zero energy state. The first direction and the second directionmay be relative to the home position. The biasing member may act uponthe housing, the hook latch, latch unit frame, or a combination thereof.The biasing member may act upon the housing, bar, bar frame, or acombination thereof. The bias member may be a dual acting member thatacts on two members simultaneously. The bias member maybe free of a loadwhen the bias member is in a home position. The bias member may have apre-load when the bar bias member is in the home position. The biasmember may be elastomeric, rubber, a spring steel, helical, round,cylindrical, a torsion spring, a cantilevered spring steel, or acombination thereof. The bias member may be a piece of rubber that iscompressible, expandable, or both. Preferably, the bias member is a dualacting bias member. More preferably, the bias member is a deformablebody that includes a plurality of elastically deformable connections.The plurality of elastically deformable connections may be connected toeach other, movable relative to each other, or both to store and releaseenergy. The bias member, the plurality of elastically deformableconnections, or both may be elastically deformable. The biasing membermay provide a bias between the hook latch and the housing or a bar latchunit and the housing. The bias member when expanded, contracted, or bothmay have a load. The bias member may increase in load as the bias membermoves away from latch plate moves away from the home position. A load onthe bias member may be increased when the latch unit moves in a firstdirection, a second direction, or both relative to a home position ofthe latch unit. The change in load on the bias member may exponentiallyincrease as a distance of the latch unit form a home position increases.The change in load may be sufficiently large so that the bias memberreturns the latch unit back to the home position when the latch unitmoves from a locked state to an unlocked state, in an unlockable state,a lockable state when the hook latch is not biased, or a combinationthereof. The bias member may be a double acting bias member. The biasmember may bias towards the home position regardless of whether the biasmember is biased in a first direction or a second direction. The biasmember may be compressed, expanded, or both when the hook latch and barcontact each other and the bar and the hook latch move relative to eachother.

The hook latch may function to create the locked state. The hook latchmay function to catch the bar and prevent movement of the movable memberrelative to the ground member. The hook latch may selectively receiveone or more bars. The one or more hook latches may be displaced from alatch neutral position in a first direction, a second direction, or boththat is transverse to the prescribed path. The hook latch and the barmay be in contact a first time, a second time, or both. The hook latchmay have two sides or more, three sides or more, or four sides or more.The hook latch may have a first side that assists in creating a lockedstate. The hook latch may have a second side that assist in retaining abar so that the locked state is maintained. The hook latch may have athird side that assists in creating an unlocked state. The hook latchmay be generally triangular in shape or may have a portion that istriangular in shape. The hook latch when contacted may longitudinallymove the latch plate or a latch biasing member. The hook latch whencontacted may move in a first direction that expands or contracts thebias member from a home state so that a load is applied to the biasmember, energy is stored in the bias member, or both. The hook latchwhen contacted may move in a second direction that expands or contractsthe bias member from a home state so that a load is applied to the biasmember, energy is stored in the bias member, or both. Preferably, thehook latch when moved in a first direction will expand the bias memberand when moved in a second direction will compress the bias member. Thehook latch may include an angled portion, a linear portion, an entryapex, an entry portion, a return portion, an exit apex, pocket, or acombination thereof.

The one or more entry portions may function to assist in creating alocked state when the bar contacts the one or more entry portions. Theone or more entry portions may guide a bar to an entry apex, the pocket,or both. All or a portion of the one or more entry portions may bealigned with the latching pathway when the selection plate is in thelockable state. The one or more entry portions may be an angled portionthat may be angled so that all or a portion of the one or more angledportion extends across an opening of the latching pathway. The entryportion may extend perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle,the latch plate, or both. Preferably, the entry portion extends at anangle of about 90 degrees or less, about 75 degrees or less, about 60degrees or less, about 45 degrees or less, or about 30 degrees or morerelative to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the latch plate, orboth. The one or more entry portions may extend in or transverse to thepath of the prescribed motion (e.g., prescribed path) of the bar so thatthe bar contacts the entry portion. The entry portion may be angled sothat as the bar extends along the prescribed motion the bar is movedtowards the entry apex and ultimately the pocket. The entry portion mayhave a sufficiently small angle so that as the bar moves along the entryportion the latch plate is moved, compressing or extending the biasmember, by a force being exerted upon the entry portion of the hooklatch. The latch plate or hook latch may continue to move as the bartravels along the entry portion until the bar reaches the entry apex.The entry portion may terminate at an entry apex.

The entry apex may function to assist the bar in entering the pocket,leaving the entry portion, or both. The entry apex may be a part of thehook latch. The entry apex may prevent the bar from exiting the pocketfrom a same direction the bar entered the pocket. The entry apex may bewhere two walls converge together. The entry apex may be where the entryportion and the curved portion converge. The entry apex may be a pointwhere a bar may be required to be on a first side or a second side ofthe hook latch. The entry apex may create a lip at the pocket so thatthe bar cannot be back driven. When the bar passes the entry apex thebias member may release some or all of its stored energy so that the baris moved into the pocket. When the hook latch, the latch plate, or bothare in the lockable state the bar may extend around the entry apex intothe pocket. The entry apex and an exit apex may be located on opposingsides of the pocket, the curved wall, or both.

The pocket may function to receive the bar so that a locked state isformed. The pocket functions to restrict movement of the bar. The pocketmay be a wall that the bar is biased against so that the bar isrestricted from being moved back into the latching pathway. The pocketmay be a curved portion of the hook latch. The pocket may be a recessthat the bar resides within so that the locked state is formed and thebar is not inadvertently moved out of the pocket. The pocket may resista biasing force of the movable member away from the ground member. Forexample, the movable member may be biased away from the ground memberand the pocket may resist the bar from exiting the pocket. In anotherexample, the trigger may be biased apart from the hand piece by a biasdevice and the bias device may assist in moving the bar into the pocket.The pocket may resist a bias force in a lateral direction, alongitudinal direction, or both. The pocket may resist the biasingmember from moving to the home position. The pocket may preventlongitudinal movement, lateral movement, or both of the bar. The exitapex, the entry apex, or both may extend beyond the pocket so that thebar remains within the pocket until a bias force of the movable memberis resisted, a user regrips the movable member and the ground membertogether, or both. Upon regripping, resisting a bias force, or both thebar may exit the pocket by extending around the exit apex.

The exit apex may function to prevent a bar from inadvertently exitingthe pocket, the curved portion, or both. The exit apex may extend beyondthe pocket. The exit apex may be where the return portion and the curvedportion converge. The exit apex may be a point that once the bar extendsbeyond the bar cannot reenter the pocket. The bar may contact the exitapex while exiting so that the latch plate is biased, the latch biasingmember is biased or unbiased, and upon the bar stopping contact with theexit apex, the latch plate (or bar biasing member) may bias away fromthe bar, to the home position, or both so that the prescribed motion ofthe bar is above the pocket and the bar cannot reenter the pocket. Theexit apex may be formed between the pocket and the return portion.

The return portion may function to guide the bar from the locked stateto an unlocked state. The return portion may function to guide the barto the latching pathway. The return portion may be located below theprescribed path when the latch plate is in the home position.Preferably, the return portion is located below an upper portion of thepathway when the hook latch is in the home position. The return portionmay be a linear portion. The return portion may be located above thelatching pathway when the latch plate is in the home position. Forexample, the hook latch may block the latching pathway when the latchplate is in the home position, and as the bar moves along a prescribedpath the bar may contact the return portion of the hook latch and movethe hook latch (e.g., down) to open the latching pathway. For example,the bar may push the hook latch down by contacting the return portion sothat the release apex is located below the latching pathway and the barcan exit the handle, the hand piece, the latch unit, housing, or acombination thereof. As the latching pathway is being opened the biasdevice may be compresses and store energy within the bias device. Oncethe bar stops contacting the return portion (e.g., leaves the pathway)and reenters the latching pathway the bias device may bias the latchplate back to a home position. The return portion may be moved intoalignment with the latching pathway when the bar moves along the pathwaytowards the latching pathway.

The pathway may function to guide the bar from a home position to alocked position, from a locked position to an unlocked position, from anunlocked position to a home position, or a combination thereof. Thepathway may align with the latching pathway, the bar pathway, the bararm pathway, or a combination thereof. The pathway may be out ofalignment with the latching pathway. The pathway may assist a bar incircumnavigating a hook latch, the pathway may extend around the hooklatch, or both. The pathway may be tortuous. The pathway may be alabyrinth. The pathway may be an open area in the movement unit that thebar is guided through. The pathway may be an area between two or morewalls that a bar moves through, a bar moves along, or both. The pathwaymay be linear or have linear portions. The pathway may have curvedportions, arcuate portions, straight portions, extend 360 degrees, haveserpentine portions, or a combination thereof. The pathway may begin andend at a latching pathway. The pathway may extend along an entryportion, along a return portion, around an entry apex, into a pocket,around an exit apex, around a guide apex, around a release apex, along arear wall, or a combination thereof. The pathway may assist the bar inmoving along one or more walls of the hook latch. The pathway may assistthe bar in moving the latch plate as the bar and the hook latch contacteach other. The pathway may be out of alignment with the hook latch, thewall guide, or both when the latch unit is in the unlocked position, theunlocked state, the unlockable state, or a combination thereof. Thepathway may guide the bar around the entry apex, the exit apex, therelease apex, or all of the apexes.

The release apex may function to guide the bar into the pathway and outof the pathway. The release apex may align an entry end of the pathwaywith the latching pathway when the latch unit is in the lockable state,unlocked state, or both. The release apex may align an exit end of thepathway with the latching pathway when the latch unit is in the lockablestate, unlocked state, or both. The release apex may move from a firstside of a latching pathway to a second side of a latching pathway. Therelease apex may be located in an upper half of the latching pathwaywhen the hook latch is in the home state. The release apex may connectthe pathway to the latching pathway. The release apex may form a pointof the hook latch. The release apex may be a beginning and end of thehook latch. The release apex may be located opposite the pocket. Therelease apex may direct a bar to a predetermined location depending onthe location of the bar relative to the release apex. For example, ifthe bar is located in the latching pathway the release apex may directthe bar to the entry portion and if the bar is located in the pathwaythe release apex may direct the bar to the latching pathway. The releaseapex may interfere with the arcuate movement of the bar so that the baris directed into contact with a desired part of the hook latch.

The arcuate movement may function to move the bar from a home position,to a locked position, to an unlocked position, or a combination thereof.The arcuate movement may be an arcuate locking path, an arcuate releasepath, an arcuate trigger path, or a combination thereof. The arcuatemovement may travel a same path in a forward direction (i.e., forwardstroke) as a backward direction (i.e., return stroke). The arcuatemovement may be a movement of the bar, the trigger, a movable member, ora combination thereof as the bar, the trigger, a movable member, or acombination thereof rotate about a pivot. The arcuate movement may be aprescribed movement of the bar, the trigger, the movable member, or acombination thereof about a pivot. The arcuate movement may be the onlymovement the trigger, the bar, the movable member, or a combinationthereof makes. The arcuate movement may move the bar from a homeposition to a locked position, a locked position to an unlockedposition, and an unlocked position back to a home position.

The home position may be a position where the latch plate is at steadystate, the bar is not within the latch unit, the bar is at a neutralposition, the hook latch is a neutral position, the bias members are ata zero state, the bias members are resting against a stop with apre-load. The home position may be a position where the bias member isfree of compression. The latch plate may move from a locked position toa home position or vice versa, an unlocked position to a home positionor vice versa, or both. The home position may be where the hook latchcrosses the latching pathway. The home position may be where the biasmember returns the latch plate upon an engagement force or adisengagement force being removed. The home position may be a barneutral position, a latch neutral position, or both. The home positionmay be where the movement unit and the latch unit are disconnected, canmove relative to each other, or both. The bar may move from an unlockedposition to a home position and be free of a home position. The bar maymove from a locked position to an unlocked position and then to a homeposition. Preferably, the bar, movable member, ground member, hooklatch, latch unit, bar unit, or a combination thereof are at a homeposition when the device is in an unlocked state. When the bar contactsthe hook latch, a contact position may be created.

The contact position may be any position when the part and hook latchare in contact when the bar is not located within the pocket. Thecontact position may be an unlocked position where the bar is movingtowards or away from a locked position. The locked position may be wherethe bar is located within the pocket and the bar is prevented frommoving by the hook latch. The locked position may be where the bar islocated between the entry apex and the exit apex. The locked positionmay be where the movable member moves the bar back towards the hooklatch so that the bar is retained in the pocket and the movable memberis prevented from moving. The locked position may be the position wherethe bar prevents the movable member, a trigger, or both from moving. Thelocked position may be where the hook latch is aligned with the latchingpathway. In the locked position, the bar may bias the hook latch up orin a first direction (i.e., towards a top) as the bar enters thepathway. In the locked position, the bar may bias the hook latch down orin a second direction, which is opposite the first direction as the barexits the pathway. In the locked position, the hook latch may be movedby the bar as the bar moves along the arcuate movement, the pathway, orboth. The latch plate may be locked by the locked state detent when thelatch unit is in the locked position. The locked position may be locatedbetween two contact positions or two unlocked positions.

The unlocked position may function to allow the bar to move within thepathway. The unlocked position may be any position where the bar iswithin the pathway but not located within the pocket. The unlockedposition may be a bar in the pathway moving along the entry portion, thereturn portion, or both. The unlocked position may be where the bar isnot located between the entry apex and the exit apex. The unlockedposition may be the contact position. The bar may make a lockingmovement so that the bar changes from an unlocked position to a lockedposition.

The locking movement may be where the bar extends from an unlockedposition to a locked position. The locking movement may be where the barextends around an entry apex. The locking movement may be where the barmoves into contact with the guide apex and then upon release of thetrigger, the movable member, or both the bar is moved into the pocket,from the guide apex into the pocket, into contact with the exit apex butis retained in the pocket, or a combination thereof. The lockingmovement may be where the bar enters the pocket. The locking movementmay generate bias in both the bar and the hook latch. The latch biasmember, the bar bias member, or both may be biased during a lockingmovement so that once the bar extends around an entry apex both the barbias member and the latch bias member release some or all of theirrespective energy cause the bar to lock with the hook latch. As the barmakes a locking movement the bar may bias the bias member so that thebias member has a load. Once the bar completes the locking movement andmoves into the pocket the bias member may retain some bias. The lockingmovement may be followed by an unlocking movement where the bar isreleased from the pocket.

The unlocking movement may function to release the bar from the pocket.The unlocking movement may be a movement around the exit apex. Theunlocking movement may be a movement from the pocket around the exitapex, to a location above the exit apex, or both. The unlocking movementmay extend away from the hook latch and then back towards the hook latchonce the bar is above the exit apex or once the hook latch deflects outof alignment with the bar. Once the bar extends around the exit apex thehook latch or the bar may move back to a home position. The unlockingmovement may result in the bar being in an unlocked state. An unlockingmovement may move the selection plate between a lockable state and anunlockable state. The unlocking movement may be followed by a resettingmovement (e.g., a portion of a return stroke) where the bar is movedback to a starting position, the bar moves out of the latch unit, thetrigger and handle move back to a home position, or a combinationthereof. The resetting movement may function to reset the bar. Theresetting movement may be a movement around the release apex, throughthe latching pathway, or both. The resetting movement may result in thebar being in an unlocked state. The resetting movement may be a movementalong the return portion of the hook latch, through the latchingpathway, or both. The resetting movement may be the bar moving along aportion of an arcuate release path. The resetting movement may bias thelatch plate in a second direction so that the bar aligns with thelatching pathway, can extend around the release apex, or both. Theresetting movement may be a movement of the bar towards the latchingpathway regardless of if the latch unit is in the lockable state, theunlockable state, or both.

The unlockable state may function to prevent the closure assembly frombeing locked. The unlockable state may be where the latch state is movedto a second position where the latch unit and the movement unit are notaligned, a distance is too great for the bar to travel to the pocket, orboth. The latch plate may be moved from the unlockable state to thelockable state by a user to control movement of the movable member, thetrigger, or both.

The lockable state may function to allow the closure assembly to belatched. The lockable state may be a state where the movement unit andthe latch unit are aligned and may connect together, may lock a movablemember to a ground member, or both. The closure assembly, in thelockable state may have an unlocked state or a locked state. Theunlocked state may be where the movable member and the ground member aremovable relative to each other. The unlocked state may be where the baris not constrained by the latch unit. The unlocked state may be wherethe latch unit is in a lockable state but the bar is not located withinthe pocket so that the bar is movable relative to the hook latch. Thebar in the unlocked state may be in contact with any part of the hooklatch except for the pocket. The latch unit may in a lockable state andchanged between a locked state and an unlocked state, the bar may bemovable between a locked state and an unlocked state, or both.

The locked state may function to lock the movable member and the groundmember together. The locked state may be where the bar is located withina pocket. The locked state may be where the latch plate is restrictedfrom moving about a sliding axis by the bar.

The sliding axis may function to move the latch plate from a firstposition to a second position, along the track, up and down, parallel toa length of the handle, or a combination thereof. As the latch platemoves along the sliding axis compression of the bias member may beincreased, decreased, or a combination of both. The sliding axis may bea direction of rotation of the bar, the hook latch, or both when the barand the hook latch contact each other and rotate. The as the bar movesalong the hook latch, an engaging force may be applied to the hook latchthat moves the latch plate along the sliding axis.

The engaging force (e.g., a force applied during a forward stroke) mayfunction to move the latch plate along the sliding axis, to compress thebias member, to lock the closure assembly, to lock the movement unit tothe latch unit, or a combination thereof. The engaging force may besufficiently large to move the latch plate as the two bias membercompresses or stretch (e.g., a bar biasing member and a latch biasingmember). The engaging force may increase as the bar moves along the hooklatch. The engaging force may increase as the bar moves from the releaseapex towards the entry apex. The engaging force may increase as the barmoves along the return portion. The engaging force may increase as thebar moves from the exit apex to the release apex. Preferably, theengaging force is along a first side of the hook latch, along the entryportion, or both as the bar extends from the latching pathway and thepathway and into the pocket. The engaging force may be a single forcethat is generated by a user as the bar moves along a prescribed movementan arcuate movement, or both. The user may generate the engaging forceby moving the movable member and the ground member towards each other.The engaging force may be substantially similar to an amount of forcerequired for a disengaging force.

The disengaging force (e.g., a force applied during a return stroke) mayfunction to move the bar out of the pocket, around the exit apex, orboth. The disengaging force may be a single bias member. The disengagingforce may be a combination of two biasing members. The disengaging forcemay be created by the bar biasing member, the latch biasing member, thetrigger bias member. The disengaging force may extend parallel to oralong a same line as the engaging force. The disengaging force may haveone or more forces along one or more different directions, vectors, orboth. The disengaging force may remove a bar from the pocket and thenremove the bar from the latch unit, the housing, the handle, the handpiece, or a combination thereof. The disengaging force may have aportion that is along the exit apex, along the return portion, or both.The disengaging force may be generated by a movable member bias memberafter the movable member is reengaged and the movable member is movedrelative to the ground member. The disengaging force may first extendaway from the hook latch, then up the rear wall, around the exit apex,and then along the return portion where the latch plate is moved alongthe sliding axis. The disengaging force may have a first disengagingforce where the bar is moved out of the pocket and a second disengagingforce where the bar is aligned with the latching pathway. The firstdisengaging force may move the bar away from the pocket (i.e., a regripof the movable member or the trigger), up over the exit apex, or both.The first disengaging force may release the closure assembly, move theclosure assembly from a locked state to an unlocked state, or both. Oncethe bar, movement unit, or both are released the bar, movement unit, orboth may change from a first disengagement force to a seconddisengagement force. The second disengagement force may move the latchplate along the sliding axis so that the bar is aligned with thelatching pathway. The second disengagement force may be sufficientlylarge to compress the bias member. The second disengagement force mayincrease as the bar moves along the prescribed motion, the arcuatemovement or both. The second disengagement force may move the latchplate from a home position to an unlocked position where the bar mayseparate from the latch unit. The disengaging force may be a forcegenerated to move the movable member from a locked state to an unlockedstate and the disengaging force may be started by a user creating theforce in a first direction and then a bias member may create a seconddisengaging force in a second opposing direction. As a disengaging forceis being applied (either in the first direction or the second direction)the bar, the hook latch, or both may bias the bar, the hook, or bothtransverse to a direction of the disengaging force, the arcuate movementor both.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of an electrosurgical device2. The electrosurgical device 2 is shown as forceps 10 including ahandpiece 4 that is attached to a first working arm 20 having a firstjaw 16 and a second working arm 22 having a second jaw 18, and with ablade 27 located between the first working arm 20 and the second workingarm 22. The handpiece 4 includes a closure assembly 28 that is connectedto the movable member 12 and the adjacent member 14, which as shown arethe first working arm 20 and the second working arm 22. The closureassembly 28 assists in maintaining the first working arm 20 and thesecond working arm 22 in a closed state when the closure assembly 28 isactivated.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the electrosurgical device 2including the handpiece 4, forceps 10, and a stylet 6. The forceps 10include a first working arm 20 with a first jaw 16 and a second workingarm 22 with a second jaw 18. The handpiece 4 includes the closureassembly 28 that prevents movement of the first working arm 20 and thesecond working arm 22 by locking the movable member 12 and the adjacentmember 14 in a position. The movable member 12 is a trigger 24 and theadjacent member 14 is a handle 26.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a closure assembly 28 including amovement unit 25 and a latch unit 60. The movement unit 25 includes thetrigger 24 and a bar unit 40. The latch unit 60 is located the handle26. As the movable member 12 moves towards the adjacent member 14 thebar 44 of the movement unit 25 has an arcuate movement 94 and extendsthrough the latching pathway 54 into the handle 26 and in contact withthe latch unit 60.

FIG. 4 is a close-up view of the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60.The movement unit 25 includes a bar unit 40 that is movable along a barframe 52. The bar unit 40 includes a bar movement unit 50 that moves ineither a direction of positive bias 30 or a direction of negative bias32. A bar biasing member 46 connects the bar movement unit 50 to the barframe 52. The bar biasing member 46 exerts a constant load on the barmovement unit 50 in the direction of negative bias 32. The loadeffectuated by the bar biasing member 46 causes the bar movement unit 50to rest on a bar stop 48 where a pre-load is always applied to the barunit 40. A bar arm 42 having a bar 44 at an end of the bar arm 42 areconnected to and extend from the bar movement unit 50. The latch unit 60includes a latch unit frame 62 within which a latch movement unit 61moves in the direction of positive bias 30 or the direction of negativebias 32. A latch biasing member 66 connects the latch movement unit 61to the latch unit frame 62 and biases the latch movement unit 61relative to the latch unit frame 62. The latch biasing member 66 exertsa constant load on the latch movement unit 61 the direction of negativebias 32. The latch movement unit 61 is biased by the latch biasingmember 66 so that the latch movement unit 61 rests on a latch stop 68.The latch movement unit 61 includes a hook latch 64, which includes anentry apex 72, an exit apex 74, a reset apex 76, an entry portion 77,and a return portion 78.

FIGS. 5A-5H are close-up views of the movement unit 25 and the latchunit 60 of the closure assembly 28, in a series displaying the lockingand unlocking action of the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60.

In FIG. 5A the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60 of the closureassembly 28 are in a home position 100. At the home position 100, themovement unit 25 and the latch unit 60 are a distance D₁ from eachother.

In FIG. 5B the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60 are in a contactposition 102. In the contact position 102, the gap between the movementunit 25 and the latch unit 60 is reduced to a distance D₂ and the bar 44contacts the entry portion 77 of the hook latch 64 and exerts an entryforce F_(E) on the hook latch 64.

In FIG. 5C the gap between the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60reduces to a distance D₃ causing the bar 44 to move along the entryportion 77 and positively bias the hook latch 64. The bias on the hooklatch 64 displaces the hook latch 64 away from the latch stop 68 as thebar 44 slides along the entry portion 77 toward the entry apex 72.Contact between the bar 44 and the hook latch 64 causes movement of thelatch movement unit 61 away from the latch stop 68 forming a gaptherebetween and increasing an amount of bias created by the latchbiasing member 66. The bar movement unit 50 remains biased against thebar stop 48 as the latch movement unit 61 is biased away from the latchstop 68.

In FIG. 5D the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60 are in a latchedposition 104. As the bar 44 of the movement unit 25 moves past the entryapex 72, the stored energy in the latch biasing member 66 is released sothat the latch movement unit 61 is biased toward the latch stop 68 andthe bar 44 falls toward the pocket 70. The latch movement unit 61 isprevented from moving back to contacting the latch stop 68 as a resultof the bar 44 fitting within the pocket 70. An increase in the gapbetween the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60 to a distance D4results in the bar 44 coming to rest in the pocket 70.

In FIG. 5E, the gap between the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60is decreased to a distance D₅ which moves the bar 44 past an exit apex74. Once the bar 44 is past the exit apex 74, the latch movement unit 61is biased against the latch stop 68.

In FIG. 5F the gap between the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60 isincreased to a distance D₆ causing in the bar 44 to slide from the exitapex 74 toward the release apex 76 along the return portion 78. As thebar 44 moves past the exit apex 74 the latch movement unit 61 moves backagainst the latch stop 68 and the latch movement unit 61 reaches asteady state. As the bar 44 slides along the return portion 78, the bar44 aligns with a home position axis y_(h), at which point the movementunit 25 and the latch unit 60 are completely biased against the bar stop48 and the latch stop 68, respectively, and the movement unit 25 and thelatch unit 60 are in a steady state.

In FIG. 5G, the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60 are furtherbiased away from each other. Once the bar 44 is past the home positionaxis (not shown), the hook latch 64 exerts a return force F_(R) on thebar 44 as the bar 44 slides along the return portion 78 toward the resetapex 76. The return force F_(R) is translated into a higher energy stateof the bar biasing member 46.

In FIG. 5H, the gap between the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60is increased to a distance D7, which results in the latch unit 60applying a return force F_(R) on the bar 44 during the travel of the bar44 toward the release apex 76. The return force F_(R) is translated intoa higher energy state of the bar biasing member 46, resulting in the barmovement unit 50 biasing away from the bar stop 48.

In FIG. 5I the gap between the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60increases to a distance D8, whereby the movement unit 25 and the latchunit 60 come to rest in the home position 100. Upon the bar 44 movingpast the release apex 76, the bar movement unit 50 is biased against thebar stop 48.

FIG. 6 is a close-up view of the movement unit 25 and the latch unit 60.The movement unit 25 includes a bar unit 40 connected to a bar frame 52and a stop 45. The stop 45 impedes the bar arm 42 from movement in thedirection of negative bias 32. The bar unit 40 includes the bar biasingmember 46, a pivot 49, the bar arm 42 and the bar 44. The latch unit 60includes the latch unit frame 62 within which the latch movement unit 61moves in the direction of positive bias 30 or the direction of negativebias 32. The latch biasing member 66 connects the latch movement unit 61to the latch unit frame 62. When the latch movement unit 61 is biased soas to rest against the latch stop 68, the latch biasing member 66 exertsa constant load on the latch movement unit 61 the direction of negativebias 32. The latch movement unit 61 includes the hook latch 64 thatincludes the entry apex 72, the exit apex 74, the release apex 76, theentry portion 77, and the return portion 78. The action of the movementunit 25 and the latch unit 60 is analogous to the series shown in FIGS.5A-5I, above, except that upon the bar 44 moving along the returnportion 78 toward the release apex 76, the bar arm 42 pivots about thepivot 49 toward the direction of positive bias 30.

FIGS. 7A-7D are close up views of the movement unit 25 and the latchunit 60, in a series displaying the locking and unlocking action of themovement unit 25 and the latch unit 60.

FIG. 7A illustrates a latch unit 60 in a home position 100 before a bar44 of a movement unit 25 is moved by a forward stroke and extends intocontact with the latch unit 60. The bar 44 is connected to a bar arm 42,which is also a bar biasing member 46. The bar biasing member 46 isshown in a zero bias state (e.g., home position) and the latch biasingmember 66 is shown in a zero bias state (e.g., home position). The barstop 48 is in-plane with a portion of the movement unit 25 butout-of-plane with the hook latch 64.

In FIG. 7B, a forward stroke moves the movement unit 25 and it'sassociated component toward the latch unit 60 and the bar 44 contactsand slides along the entry portion 77 of the hook latch 64 toward theentry apex 72 of the hook latch 64. As the bar 44 slides toward theentry apex 72, the bar biasing member 46 biases downward (e.g., a firstdirection) into contact with the bar stop 48.

In FIG. 7C, the forward stroke moves the movement unit 25 further towardthe latch unit 60 and the bar 44 biases the hook latch 64 upward (e.g.,a second direction) as the bar 44 reaches the entry apex 72. The barbiasing member 46 is prevented from deflecting by the bar stop 48 and aload is applied to the hook latch 64 so that the latch biasing member 66deflects and the hook latch 64 is biased upward.

In FIG. 7D, the forward stroke has moved the bar 44 past the entry apex72 where some of the energy stored in the bar biasing member 46 and thelatch biasing member 66 are released so that the bar 44 is biased to sitin the pocket 70 of the hook latch 64. The bar biasing member 46 is inthe locked position 104.

FIG. 7E, shows the bar 44 after the bar 44 is released from the pocket70. To release the bar 44 the movement unit 25 is moved in a forwardstroke away from the pocket 70 resulting in the bias in the bar biasingmember 46 being released so that the bar 44 moves around the exit apex74. Once the bar 44 moves out of the pocket 70 and past the exit apex 74the movement unit 25 can move in a return stroke away from the latchunit 60. The bar 44 is then moved along the return portion 78 where thebar biasing member 46 is biased upward as the bar 44 moves toward therelease apex 76. As shown, the latch biasing member 66 remains in astate of zero bias, however, the latch biasing member 66 may be biaseddownward.

In FIG. 7F, a return stroke moves the movement unit 25 away from thelatch unit 60 and the movement unit 25 comes to rest at the homeposition 100 after the bar 44 moves around the release apex 76. In thehome position 100, the bar biasing member 46 is in a zero bias state andthe latch biasing member 66 is in a zero bias state.

FIG. 8A illustrates a movement unit 25 and a latch unit 60 in theirrespective home positions 100. The movement unit 25 includes a bar 44that is connected to a bar biasing member 46 which is also a bar arm 42.The bar biasing member 46 is in a zero bias state and the latch biasingmember 66 is in a zero bias state. The stops 48, 48′ are in-plane withthe bar 44 but out-of-plane with the hook latch 64 so that the hooklatch 64 when deflected can extend past the stops 48, 48′.

In FIG. 8B, a forward stroke moves the movement unit 25 toward the latchunit 60 so that the bar 44 contacts and slides along the entry portion77 toward the entry apex 72. As the bar 44 slides toward the entry apex72, the bar biasing member 46 biases the bar 44 downward into contactwith the bar stop 48, preventing further bias of the bar biasing member46.

In FIG. 8C, the forward stroke moves the movement unit 25 further towardthe latch unit 60 and the bar 44 remains in contact with the bar stop 48and biases the hook latch 64 upward as the bar 44 extends towards andreaches the entry apex 72. The latch biasing member 66 increases in biasas the bar 44 biases the hook latch 64 upward.

In FIG. 8D, the bar 44 has moved past the entry apex 72 where the barbias member 46 and the latch biasing member 66 release some bias so thatthe bar 44 is biased towards and sits in the pocket 70. The bar biasingmember 46 retains some bias and is slightly biased downward while thelatch biasing member 66 moves to a zero bias state.

FIG. 8E shows the bar 44 after the bar 44 is released from the pocket70. To release the bar 44 the movement unit 25 is moved in a forwardstroke away from the pocket 70 resulting in the bias in the bar biasingmember 46 being released so that the bar 44 moves around the exit apex74. Once the bar 44 moves past the exit apex 74 the movement unit 25 canmove in a return stroke away from the latch unit 60. During a returnstroke, the bar 44 moves along the return portion 78 of the hook latch64 and the bar biasing member 46 is biased upward toward the releaseapex 76. The upward bias of the bar 44 terminates when the bar 44reaches the upper bar stop 48′.

In FIG. 8F, a return stroke continues and the movement unit 25 movesaway from the latch unit 60 while the bar 44 moves along the returnportion 78 toward the release apex 76. As shown, upward movement of thebar 44 is restricted by the upper bar stop 48′ and the bar 44 is locatedbetween the upper bar stop 48′ and the hook latch 64. Continued movementof the bar 44 by a return stroke biases the hook latch 64 downward awayfrom the upper bar stop 48′.

In FIG. 8G, the movement unit 25 moves in a return stroke away from thelatch unit 60 and the movement unit 25 and latch unit 60 come to rest atthe home position 100. The bar biasing member 46 is in a zero bias stateand the latch biasing member 66 is in a zero bias state.

FIG. 9A illustrates a movement unit 25 relative to a latch unit 60 intheir respective home positions 100. The movement unit 25 includes a bar44 that is connected to a bar biasing member 46 which is also the bararm 42. The bar biasing member 46 is in a zero bias state and the latchbiasing member 66 is in a zero bias state. The bar stop 48 is in-planewith the bar 44 but out-of-plane with the hook latch 64 so that the hooklatch 64 when deflected can extend past the bar stop 48. The latch stop68 is in plane with the hook latch 64 but out-of-plane with the bar 44so that the hook latch 64 when deflected comes into contact with thelatch stop 68.

In FIG. 9B, a forward stroke moves the movement unit 25 toward the latchunit 60 so that the bar 44 contacts and slides along the entry portion77 toward the entry apex 72. As the bar 44 slides toward the entry apex72, the bar biasing member 46 biases downward into contact with the barstop 48.

In FIG. 9C, the forward stroke moves the movement unit 25 further towardthe latch unit 60 and the bar 44 biases the hook latch 64 upward as thebar 44 extends toward and reaches the entry apex 72. The bar biasingmember 46 does not undergo an increase in bias due to the placement ofthe bar stop 48. The latch biasing member 66 increases in bias as thehook latch 64 is biased upward.

In FIG. 9D, the bar 44 has moved past the entry apex 72 where the barbias member 46 and the latch biasing member 66 release some bias so thatthe bar 44 is biased towards and sits in the pocket 70. The bar biasingmember 46 retains some bias and is slightly biased downward while thelatch biasing member 66 moves to a zero bias state.

In FIG. 9E, shows the bar 44 after the bar 44 is released from thepocket 70. To release the bar 44 the movement unit 25 is moved in aforward stroke away from the pocket 70 resulting in the bias in the barbiasing member 46 being released so that the bar 44 moves around theexit apex 74. Once the bar 44 moves past the exit apex 74 the movementunit 25 can move in a return stroke away from the latch unit 60. Duringa return stroke, the bar 44 moves along the return portion 78 of thehook latch 64 toward the release apex 76. The bar biasing member 46 andlatch biasing member 66 achieve a zero bias state.

In FIG. 9F, a return stroke moves the movement unit 25 away from thelatch unit 60 while the bar 44 moves along the return portion 78 towardthe release apex 76 and the hook latch 64 is biased downward against alatch stop 68. At the point that the hook latch 64 contacts the latchstop 68, the hook latch 64 is biased upward as the hook latch 64 travelstoward the release apex 76.

In FIG. 9G, a return stroke moves the movement unit 25 away from thelatch unit 60 and comes to rest at the home position 100. The barbiasing member 46 is in a zero bias state and the latch biasing member66 is in a zero bias state.

FIG. 10 illustrates a latch unit 60 in a home position 100 before a bar44 of a movement unit 25 is moved by a forward stroke and extends intocontact with the latch unit 60. The bar 44 is connected to a bar arm 42,which is also a bar biasing member 46. The bar biasing member 46 isshown in a zero bias state and the latch biasing member 66 is shown in azero bias state. The bar stop 48 is in-plane with a portion of themovement unit 25 but out-of-plane with the hook latch 64.

FIG. 11 illustrates a movement unit 25 relative to a latch unit 60 intheir respective home positions 100. The movement unit 25 includes a bar44 that is connected to a bar biasing member 46 which is also the bararm 42. The bar biasing member 46 is in a zero bias state and the latchbiasing member 66 is in a zero bias state. The bar stop 48 is in-planewith the bar 44 but out-of-plane with the hook latch 64 so that the hooklatch 64 when deflected can extend past the bar stop 48. The latch stop68 is in plane with the hook latch 64 but out-of-plane with the bar 44so that the hook latch 64 when deflected comes into contact with thelatch stop 68.

Any numerical values recited herein include all values from the lowervalue to the upper value in increments of one unit provided that thereis a separation of at least 2 units between any lower value and anyhigher value. As an example, if it is stated that the amount of acomponent or a value of a process variable such as, for example,temperature, pressure, time and the like is, for example, from 1 to 90,preferably from 20 to 80, more preferably from 30 to 70, it is intendedthat values such as 15 to 85, 22 to 68, 43 to 51, 30 to 32 etc. areexpressly enumerated in this specification. For values which are lessthan one, one unit is considered to be 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01 or 0.1 asappropriate. These are only examples of what is specifically intendedand all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowestvalue and the highest value enumerated are to be considered to beexpressly stated in this application in a similar manner.

Unless otherwise stated, all ranges include both endpoints and allnumbers between the endpoints. The use of “about” or “approximately” inconnection with a range applies to both ends of the range. Thus, “about20 to 30” is intended to cover “about 20 to about 30”, inclusive of atleast the specified endpoints.

The disclosures of all articles and references, including patentapplications and publications, are incorporated by reference for allpurposes. The term “consisting essentially of” to describe a combinationshall include the elements, ingredients, components or steps identified,and such other elements ingredients, components or steps that do notmaterially affect the basic and novel characteristics of thecombination. The use of the terms “comprising” or “including” todescribe combinations of elements, ingredients, components or stepsherein also contemplates embodiments that consist essentially of theelements, ingredients, components or steps. By use of the term “may”herein, it is intended that any described attributes that “may” beincluded are optional.

Plural elements, ingredients, components or steps can be provided by asingle integrated element, ingredient, component or step. Alternatively,a single integrated element, ingredient, component or step might bedivided into separate plural elements, ingredients, components or steps.The disclosure of “a” or “one” to describe an element, ingredient,component or step is not intended to foreclose additional elements,ingredients, components or steps.

It is understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments as well as manyapplications besides the examples provided will be apparent to those ofskill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of theteachings should, therefore, be determined not with reference to theabove description, but should instead be determined with reference tothe appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to whichsuch claims are entitled. The disclosures of all articles andreferences, including patent applications and publications, areincorporated by reference for all purposes. The omission in thefollowing claims of any aspect of subject matter that is disclosedherein is not a disclaimer of such subject matter, nor should it beregarded that the inventors did not consider such subject matter to bepart of the disclosed inventive subject matter.

We claim: 1) A surgical device comprising: a closure assembly including:a. a movement unit configured to be connected to a movable member, themovement unit including: i. one or more bars; ii. one or more barbiasing members in communication with the movement unit and moving theone or more bars; b. a latch unit configured to be connected to a groundmember, the latch unit including: i. one or more hook latches thatselectively receive the one or more bars, and ii. one or more latchbiasing members in communication with the one or more hook latches toselectively move the one or more hook latches; wherein all or a portionof the latch unit is movable relative to the ground member and all or aportion of the movement unit is movable relative to the movable member,and the latch unit and the movement unit are movable relative to eachother when the latch unit and the movement unit are in contact. 2) Thesurgical device of claim 1, wherein the movement unit includes one ormore bar arms connected to the one or more bars, and the surgical deviceincludes the movable member and the one or more bar arms are connectedto and movable with the movable member, and along the movable memberwhen the movement unit is moved into contact with the latch unit. 3) Thesurgical device of claim 1, wherein the movable member moves along aprescribed motion. 4) The surgical device of claim 1, wherein themovement unit includes a bar stop and a bar movement unit, and the barmovement unit is connected to the bar; and wherein the bar movement unitand the bar stop are in contact when the movement unit is in a homeposition. 5) The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the one or more barbiasing members have a pre-load when the movement unit is in a homeposition, and the one or more bars are movably mounted to move along aprescribed path so that upon the one or more bars and the one or morehook latches contacting each other, during the process of locking orunlocking, the one or more bars are displaced from a bar home portion ina first direction that is transverse to the prescribed path until theone or more bars contact a bar stop that prevents movement in the firstdirection, and wherein the one or more hook latches are displaced from alatch home position in a second direction that is transverse to theprescribed path and opposite the first direction. 6) The surgical deviceof claim 1, wherein the latch unit includes a latch plate and a latchstop and the latch plate and the latch stop are in contact with thelatch unit in a home position. 7) The surgical device of claim 1,wherein a latch plate is connected to the one or more latch biasingmembers, and the one or more latch biasing members have a pre-load whenthe latch unit is in a home position, and the one or more hook latchesare carried on the latch plate. 8) The surgical device of claim 1,wherein the one or more bars are movably mounted to move along aprescribed path so that upon the one or more bars and the one or morehook latches contacting each other, during the process of locking orunlocking, the one or more bars are displaced from a bar home portion ina first direction that is transverse to the prescribed path until theone or more bars contact a bar stop that prevents movement in the firstdirection, and wherein the one or more hook latches are displaced from alatch home position in a second direction that is transverse to theprescribed path and opposite the first direction. 9) The surgical deviceof claim 1, wherein the one or more hook latches are movably mounted sothat upon the one or more bars and the one or more hook latchescontacting each other, during the process of locking of unlocking, theone or more hook latches are displaced from a latch home portion in afirst direction that is transverse to a prescribed path of the one ormore bars until the hook latch contacts a latch stop that preventsmovement of the hook latch in the first direction, and wherein the oneor more bars are displaced from a bar home position in a seconddirection that is transverse to the prescribed path and opposite thefirst direction. 10) The surgical device of claim 8, wherein the one ormore hook latches are displaced from the latch home position in thefirst direction that is transverse to the prescribed path when the oneor more bars contact the one or more hook latches until the one or morehook latches contact a latch stop, and wherein the one or more bars aredisplaced from the bar home position in the second direction that istransverse to the prescribed path and opposite the first direction whenthe one or more hook latches are in contact with the latch stop. 11) Thesurgical device of claim 8, wherein the one or more bars and the one ormore hook latches contact each other a second time, during the processof locking and unlocking, and the one or more bars are displaced fromthe bar home portion in the second direction until the one or more barscontact a second bar stop that prevents movement of the one or more barsin the second direction, and wherein the one or more hook latches aredisplaced from the latch home position in the first direction when theone or more bars contact the second bar stop. 12) The surgical device ofclaim 9, wherein the one or more bars and the one or more hook latchescontact each other a second time, during the process of locking andunlocking, and the one or more hook latches are displaced from the hookhome portion in the second direction where the one or more hook latchescontact a second stop that prevents movement of the one or more hooklatches in the second direction, and wherein the one or more bars aredisplaced from the bar home position in the first direction when thehook latch contacts the second stop. 13) A surgical device comprising: aclosure assembly including: a. a movement unit including: i. one or morebars; ii. one or more bar biasing members in communication with the oneor more bars to selectively move the one or more bars; and iii. one ormore bar stops that maintain the one or more bar biasing members with apre-load when the one or more bars are in a home position; b. a latchunit including: i. one or more hook latches that selectively receive theone or more bars, ii. one or more latch biasing members in communicationwith the one or more hook latches to selectively move the one or morehook latches; and iii. one or more latch stops that maintain the one ormore latch biasing members with a pre-load when the one or more hooklatches are in a home position; wherein the latch unit and the movementunit are movable relative to each other when the latch unit and themovement unit are in contact. 14) The surgical device of claim 13,wherein when the one or more bars are displaced in a first direction bythe one or more hook latches, the one or more hook latches remain in thehome position. 15) The surgical device of claim 14, wherein a load onthe one or more bar biasing members is increases above the pre-load asthe one or more bar biasing members move in the first direction. 16) Thesurgical device of claim 13, wherein when the one or more hook latchesare displaced in a first direction by the one or more bars, the one ormore bars remain in the home position. 17) The surgical device of claim16, wherein a load on the one or more latch biasing members increasesabove the pre-load as the one or more hook latches move in the firstdirection. 18) The surgical device of claim 13, wherein the one or morebars contact an entry portion of the one or more hook latches moving theone or more hook latches in a first direction and maintaining the one ormore bars in the home position or the one or more bars contact an entryportion of the one or more hook latches moving the one or more bars in afirst direction and maintaining the one or more hook latches in the homeposition. 19) The surgical device of claim 13, wherein the one or morebars contact a return portion of the one or hook latches moving the oneor more bars in a first direction and maintaining the one or more hooklatches in the home position or the one or more bars contact and entrypotion of the one or more hook latches moving the one or more bars in afirst direction and maintaining the one or more hook latches in the homeposition. 20) The surgical device of claim 13, wherein the latch unitincludes a bar movement unit that is in direct contact with the bar stopand the one or more bars are connected to the bar movement unit by a bararm so that the one or more bars extend outside of a movable member andare capable of extending into a ground member.